A Life for a Life
by fanfiction9821
Summary: Rocket loses his life while on a mission, causing Josh's existence to come to an end. Rocket then learns that a life has to be given up so he could return to Mobius. Can he find a suitable life to replace his own or will he remain in the afterlife for all eternity?
1. Rocket's Final Mission

Rocket, Sonic, Amy, Knuckles, Rouge, Espio, Blaze, Shadow, Silver, Frost, Scorch, Leaf, Sally, Julie, Josh, Manik, Lara, and Sonia were gathered outside Eggman's newest base of operations. Eggman wasn't there for the moment, which gave them the opporuntity to trash it before he got back.

"Everyone have their assignment," Rocket asked.

"We do, dad. We just go in, plant the bombs, get out, and watch as the place is blown sky-high. Simple as that," Josh said.

"It's not that simple, Josh. This mission has to go off without a hitch."

"Come on, Rocket. It's your plan. I'm sure it'll go just like you planned. I believe in you," Sally said placing her hand on Rocket's shoulder.

"You're right, Sal. It is my plan. It'll go perfect. Thanks for the vote of confidence," Rocket said.

"You're welcome. Now, who's leading who into there?"

"Obviously, Josh will lead Sonia and Manik. Julie will lead Knux and Lara. You'll lead Blaze and Leaf. I'll lead Sonic and Frost. Scorch can lead Silver and Amy. Shadow can lead Rouge and Espio. Six teams of three all planting the charges over the base."

"Sounds fair. Come on," Sally said before everyone broke apart into their separate teams. Josh led Manik and Sonia to where they needed to go and started planting the bombs.

"There. I'm set up."

"So am I, Jo," Manik said as he set his final bomb.

"Done. Let's go," Sonia said as she connected and set her final bomb. Meanwhile, Leaf, Blaze, and Sally were just about done with their bombs.

"There. Done."

"Almost," Leaf said as she was connecting her final bomb. "Done."

"Done here, too. Let's go," Blaze said before she, Leaf, and Sally ran off. Everyone was wrapping with what they had to do.

"There. I'm finished," Frost said.

"So am I," Sonic said as he finished with his final bomb.

"All set up. Let's move," Rocket said before he, Frost, and Sonic walked out. Before they could get outside and meet up with the others, twenty SWAT Bots blocked their way.

"Out of the way, tin cans!"

"Never," one of the SWAT Bots said.

"Rocket, not a lot of time left."

"Go! I'll hold them back," Rocket said.

"All right."

"Good luck, man."

"I don't need luck, Frost. You know that." Rocket ran ahead to turn the 'bots into scrap metal while Sonic and Frost escaped with their lives. Rocket didn't know he wouldn't. Outside, everyone was waiting for Rocket, Sonic, and Frost to show up.

"Where is he?"

"Calm down, mom. He'll show up," Josh said, trying to calm down Blaze.

"You're right, Josh. I'm getting worked up for nothing," Blaze said. Inside, Rocket only had five SWAT Bots to deal with and only a minute to destroy them all.

"Not a lot of time left," Rocket muttered as he saw the countdown clock on one of the bombs. Rocket brought down the final SWAT Bot and saw he only had ten seconds to get out before he and the base was blown sky-high. He used the speed he could muster up to get a headstart, but it was too late. The bombs detonated all over the base, creating a blast of fire to spread out through the entire building. Rocket looked behind him to see the fire and tried to run ahead, but he wasn't fast enough. Everyone watched as the base was turned into a explosion of fire and metal that shot up into the night sky. They then waited for Rocket to come out of the debris without a scratch, but he didn't show up.

"Where's Rocket," Sally asked.

"I'm not sure. He should be in there, though," Sonic said.

"Something happened to him."

"That's impossible, Manik. Nothing could hurt my dad."

"I'm just saying, Jo. What if something happened to him," Manik asked.

"Screw that. My dad was untouchable," Josh said.

"Josh."

"What, Manik?" Josh then saw that he was disappearing into thin air.

"Josh!"

"Sonia," Josh said as he faded away from history itself.

"I'll never forget you," Sonia said as a single tear rolled down her face and hit the ground.

"Josh disappeared which means something did happen to Rocket. We have to take a look after the smoke clears," Lara said.

"Good idea. We need to find Rocket so we could remember him for the hero he was."


	2. Learning about Scorch's Past

Rouge, Tails, and Scorch were looking for any signs of Rocket from the air while Frost, Sally, and Blaze were searching on the ground. Sally spotted a gloved hand lying on the ground, so she lifted a piece of debris and found Rocket lying there with absolutely no signs of life.

"Guys, over here. I found him," Sally called out. Seconds later, Frost, Scorch, Rouge, and Blaze gathered around to look at Rocket's lifeless body.

"Good God," Scorch muttered.

"I don't believe it," Frost said quietly.

"That's Rocket," Blaze asked.

"Unfortunately."

"I should've been the one to stay back and handle those SWAT Bots. Instead, Rocket has to be the hero like always." That remark earned Frost a punch in the face from Blaze.

"Don't you ever say anything like that! Rocket was a good guy like we are."

"Blaze, calm down. You don't need to get all emotional," Scorch said, trying to calm Blaze down.

"You don't get it, do you? I loved Rocket and he loved me," Blaze said tearfully.

"Listen to me, Blaze. I know exactly what you're going through."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do. I'm a pyrokinetic like you. I know what you're feeling because we have the same kind of power. I understand what you're feeling," Scorch said. "You're not the only one who lost someone out here. Sonia lost the one person she loved, too. You both lost something out here."

"I guess you're right," Blaze said, wiping away her tears.

"I _am _right. We're both pyrokinetic, you and I. You know what I'm feeling and I know what you're feeling. It's the fire in both of us that unites you and I. The flames are symbolic," Scorch said.

"Hey, Scorch. You get that off a fortune cookie," Frost asked before being pushed away by Scorch. "Shutting up."

"I know exactly what you're going through, Blaze. I lost someone very important to me long ago."

"Who was she?"

"The one true love in my life. Her name was Samantha and I loved her with all my heart," Scorch answered.

"What happened to her," Blaze asked.

"There was a fire in her apartment building caused by a pyromaniac. Everyone made it out of the building before it went down."

"Everyone except Samantha," Sally assumed.

"That's right. I found the pyromaniac years later and he tried to roast me with his flamethrower. That's when I found I was a pyrokinetic. I absorbed the fire and used it against him. The police found his burned skeleton the next day, but I had already left. I loved Samantha and the news that she had perished in the fire came as a shock to me. I just couldn't live every day knowing that my true love was killed by the one thing that I controlled. I vowed to never use my pyrokinetic powers unless absolutely necessary," Scorch said, giving his life story.

"So, is there a chance Rocket and Samantha will meet wherever they are?"

"I'm sure of it."

* * *

Rocket woke up to see nothingness stretching on for miles. He looked around and didn't see a living soul anywhere.

"Where am I," he asked himself.

"You're in the afterlife," a voice said, shocking Rocket. He turned around and saw a hedgehog with blue fur, brown eyes, denim jeans, a blackened yellow shirt, and green shoes.

"Who are you?"

"My name's Samantha."

"I'm Rocket," Rocket said, introducing himself.

"Nice to meet you," Samantha said.

"How did you end up here?"

"There was a fire in my apartment building. Everyone made it out before the building burned down."

"Everyone except you," Rocket assumed.

"That's right. My death was a crushing blow to my boyfriend back when he was my boyfriend," Samantha said.

"Who was your boyfriend?"

"Scorch the Hedgehog."

"My God," Rocket muttered.

"Do you know Scorch," Samantha asked.

"Yeah. He's a friend of mine. I'm sure he would be excited if you came back to him."

"I'm sure he would. He loved me and I loved him."

"Almost like Frost and Leaf," Rocket muttered before turning to Samantha.

"How do I get out of here?"

"That's the problem: you don't," a voice answered.

"Who's there," Rocket asked.

"You have been avoiding me for too long, Rocket. No more! I have you now and I'm not about to let you walk out on me. Enjoy the afterlife! You'll never escape from it."


	3. Going Back to Mobius

Rocket was trying to think of a way to escape from the afterlife and return to Mobius. With every passing minute, Rocket was starting to think he would never escape and that he was forced to spend the rest of his life there.

"This is hopeless," he said to himself.

"It's never hopeless," a voice called out to him.

"Who's there?"

"Turn around, Rocket." Rocket turned around and saw Merlin standing there.

"Merlin," Rocket said.

"Hello, Rocket. I saw what had happened on Mobius," Merlin said.

"Yeah. I'm trapped here because I've been avoiding Death for too long."

"Who said you're trapped?"

"What can you do," Rocket asked.

"I can return you to Mobius, but only as a spirit," Merlin answered.

"So, I can go back but no one will see or hear me?"

"Not necessarily. A few of your friends will be able to see and hear you, but I can't reveal who will."

"Good enough for me. Let's do it," Rocket said.

"Hold still," Merlin said before using his staff to send Rocket back to Mobius. Rocket looked around and saw he was back in New Mobotropolis.

"Nice, but I gotta remember I can't be seen or heard by anyone. Nothing but a spirit. That's all I am." Rocket walked around, trying to find Blaze.

"Where is she," Rocket asked himself. His train of thought was lost when he ran straight into stone.

"Ow. Who put that there?" Rocket looked up and saw it was a statue of himself being built.

"They think I'm dead. I guess after what happened, they should believe that," Rocket said to himself before seeing the blimp that served as the HQ for the Babylon Rogues above him.

"How can I get up there? I can't fly. I'm not Scorch." He then noticed that the blimp wasn't moving.

"The B.R. must be here to restock. I gotta find Wave. Hopefully, she's one of the people who'll be able to see me," Rocket said to himself before running off. He stopped when he saw Wave about to step onto the blimp.

"This seems like a perfect opportunity to test out my theory. Wave!" Wave looked around for whoever called out to her and saw Rocket standing there.

"Rocket, is that really you," she asked as she walked up to Rocket.

"Yeah. I'm sure Blaze already told you what happened," Rocket answered.

"She did. I couldn't believe it until she showed me your lifeless body. Storm was devastated, but Jet didn't care about it." Rocket rolled his eyes when he learned that Jet didn't even care about his death.

"I expected that from that arrogant hawk. He just wants his old spot back. Y'know, I'm willing to bet that he was waiting for the perfect opportunity to take the leadership of the Babylon Rogues right from under me."

"I thought so as well, so I took leadership of the Babylon Rogues. You made me co-leader, so it was easy to take full control of the B.R.," Wave said.

"I'm sure Jet didn't like that one bit," Rocket said.

"Not really. He wanted full leadership since you were gone, but I told him I was co-leader, which means I was the new leader. He popped a gasket because of that and he's demanding I hand over leadership to him."

"That punk-ass hawk! I'll have to show him who's the true leader of the Rogues and I know how to do just that."

"You got a devious look on your face. I like that kind of look," Wave said.

"I got a plan and it involves taking advantage of my current condition," Rocket said.

"Just promise me Jet won't get hurt."

"I can't make that promise, Wave."

"Strangely enough, I'm okay with that," Wave said. She then led Rocket to B.R.H.Q. so he could get his plan to freak out Jet underway.

* * *

Meanwhile, Manik was filling Shade in on what had happened while Lara was talking with one of the hospital staff members.

"God. Josh is really gone," he asked.

"That's right. I still can't believe it," Manik answered.

"How's Sonia holding up?"

"Not so good. She's gone into serious depression because of Josh."

"I really hope she doesn't do what I think she'll do," Shade said.

"You and me both, Shade," Manik said before Lara came into the room.

"Well?"

"Shade's recovering and he'll be discharged from the hospital in three days," Lara said.

"Think you can last that long," Manik asked.

"Maybe. I'm not sure, though."

"Hang in there, Shade. Soon, you'll be outta here and back in action."

"That's good. Can't wait. If you two don't mind, I gotta get some rest," Shade said.

"Sure. Later, Shade," Manik said.

"Later." Manik and Lara then left the room, leaving Shade to himself.


	4. Sally's Confession

Rocket was walking around New Mobotropolis after he had put his plan to scare Jet out of taking the leadership of the Babylon Rogues for his own. He was continuing his search for Blaze when he heard what sounded like Sally and Bunnie talking. He saw them walking over to where he was and hid behind the base of his own statue. They both stopped at the front of the statue and looked at how it was standing proudly.

"This statue of Rocket is really coming along," Bunnie commented.

"Yeah. I just can't believe Rocket's really gone. I was just starting to like him," Sally said. Rocket was astounded to hear that Sally was starting to like him.

"You were?"

"Of course. Before, we used to fight with each other because he acted like Sonic sometimes. Now, I just like how he makes me feel. It's like I've traded places with Blaze and I'm Rocket's girlfriend."

"What do you like about Rocket," Bunnie asked, curious.

"How he's always prepared no matter the situation. His strategic know-how. How he never rushes into battle without thinking things through. How he keeps his cool no matter how angry he gets. How he's always coming up with new weapons and tech. He's just the best hero I've ever met. Blaze is lucky to be involved with Rocket. I just wish I was her," Sally responded.

"I felt the same way about him."

"What happened?"

"I just felt like he loved Blaze more. Plus, I'm already married to Antoine. I had to accept that I could never get Rocket's attention," Bunnie answered.

"He knew you and Antoine were married, so he couldn't feel the same way you feel. He just couldn't break up a marriage," Sally said.

"That actually makes sense. He couldn't and wouldn't break up a marriage, so he kept his distance from me."

"You had nothing to worry about, Bunnie. He does like you. He just can't break you and Antoine up. He's not that kind of person."

"That's right, Sal. I'm not that kind of guy," Rocket said quietly to avoid being heard.

"I just couldn't deal with Rocket's demise. I liked him and I'm pretty sure he was starting to like me. Too bad I'll never be able to tell him that," Sally said before she and Bunnie walked away from the statue. After they were gone, Rocket walked out from behind the statue.

"You just did, Sally. You told me without even knowing you did. You were right. I was starting to like you too."

"I hope that conversation has enlightened you, Rocket. Now we both have somewhere to go," a voice said.

"Who's there," Rocket asked before a bright light engulfed him. He had reappeared in the Great Forest along with Frost, Leaf, Sonic, Chip, Tails, Cosmo, Shadow, and Maria.

"Sonic."

"What's going on, Rocket," Sonic asked.

"I wish I knew," Rocket answered.

"You are here because a life must be given up in order for Rocket to return to Mobius. It must either be Cosmo, Chip, Maria, or Leaf," Merlin said as he walked into everyone's line of sight.

"Merlin."

"You're saying that a life has to be sacrificed so Rocket can come back," Tails asked.

"That's exactly right. It's a choice one of you must make: either stay on this world and let Rocket be lost forever or give up your loved one and have Rocket back with you." He then walked up to Leaf and Frost.

"Leaf the Hedgehog. Your time came long ago. Now it has come again," Merlin said before walking over to Sonic and Chip.

"Chip, otherwise known as Light Gaia. Your time came in the center of the earth. And like Leaf, Cosmo, and Maria's time, it has come again." Merlin then walked over to Tails and Cosmo.

"Cosmo the Seedrian. Your time came at the very edge of the galaxy," Merlin said before walking over to Shadow and Maria.

"Maria Robotnik, otherwise known as Maria the Hedgehog. Your time as a human came onboard the Space Station ARK." Merlin then walked into the middle of the clearing.

"One of your lives must be given up to help Rocket return to this plane of reality. Otherwise, he will be lost forever," Merlin said. Leaf, Chip, Cosmo, and Maria looked at each other and waited for someone to volunteer.

"No volunteers? Very well. Rocket, your time to return to the afterlife has come." Merlin then created a portal that led straight back into the very place Rocket had left.

"I'll do it," a voice said before Rocket was able to step through.

**Who was the mystery voice that was willing to give up his or her life for Rocket? Was it Leaf, Chip, Cosmo, or Maria? Find out in the final chapter of A Life for a Life!**


	5. Maria's Sacrifice

Rocket, Shadow, Sonic, Tails, Frost, Leaf, Chip, Cosmo, and Merlin all looked at Maria after she had volunteered to give her own life to help Rocket return to Mobius.

"Maria, you can't go. I lost you once already and I'm not about to lose you again," Shadow said.

"It's for a friend of yours, Shadow. I must go. Goodbye," Maria said as she walked up to the portal that'll send her to the afterlife. She walked through and Rocket was brought back.

"Shads, I'm sorry about what happened. A life had to be given up either way," Rocket said before Shadow brought him to the ground. While Rocket was lying on the ground, Shadow placed his right Air Shoe on his neck.

"It's because of you that Maria's gone! You just had to lose your goddamn life, didn't you?" Shadow lifted his shoe and ran off while Sonic and Frost helped Rocket to his feet.

"Thanks, guys."

"No problem, Rocket," Frost said.

"You're a true friend, Frost," Rocket said.

"So are you."

* * *

Meanwhile, Sonia was in a secluded part of the Great Forest, mourning Josh. She was weeping quietly when she heard Manik call out to her.

"You okay, sis," he asked.

"I am. I'm just remembering Josh and how he disappeared before my eyes," Sonia responded.

"What if I told you he wasn't gone?"

"That's impossible. He's gone."

"Wanna bet? Look down, beautiful," Josh said in his own voice. Sonia looked down and saw Josh standing right under her.

"Josh," she asked.

"The one and only." Sonia leaped down from the branch she was on and hugged Josh tightly.

"Oh, Josh. I can't believe you're back."

"I might be back only for a little while if you keep this up," Josh said before Sonia detached herself. Josh took the time to catch his breath after being squeezed so hard.

"I'm sorry about that, Joshie. I was just excited that you came back to me," Sonia said.

"It's okay. Just show your love on a lower scale next time."

"I will. It's just great to see you again."

"I'm sure it is," Josh said before wiping away a tear off Sonia's face. "We should be getting back, Sonia. Let's go." Josh then walked off with Sonia following close behind. Upon walking back into the city, Josh and Sonia made a quick stop at the hospital to check up on Shade. When they walked through the doors, they were surprised to see Shade walking around.

"Shade. You should be recovering," Josh said.

"Well, turns out the hospital made an incorrect estimation on when I'll be discharged. Originally, it was three days' time that I would have been discharged, but they checked again and I was just released," Shade said.

"That explains it."

"So, you're back. Good. I was thinking you were gone forever, Josh. The rest of us couldn't handle not having a leader."

"Sooner or later, we have to show everyone who we become later on. Isn't that right, Josh," Sonia asked.

"Yeah. Sooner or later we'll have to show them," Josh responded. Seconds later, Manik, Lara, and Dominic came into the hospital and saw Josh had returned after being erased from history.

"Jo, you're back," Manik said.

"Of course I am. I won't be gone forever, Manik. You should know that."

"Yeah, I should've known that. So, what were you, Sonia, and Shade talking about?"

"Just that we have to show everyone in New Mobotropolis who we are," Shade answered.

"We do. They have a right to know. They just need to wait for the right time to find out," Lara said.

"Until then, we need to keep our secret under wraps," Dominic said.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rocket and Blaze were in the Great Forest, making up for lost time.

"I really missed you, Rocket," Blaze said.

"I missed you, too," Rocket said.

"I couldn't deal with the fact that you were gone, but now you're back. Hopefully, you won't brag about how invincible you think you are."

"Don't worry. I won't, not after what happened. I now know that I'm not invincible. No one's invincible, Blaze. I thought I was until now."

"Good. I don't need you risking your life for anything," Blaze said.

"You have nothing to worry about, darlin'. I won't be risking my life for anything or anyone. I've lost my life once and that won't happen again. I promise you that," Rocket said before he pressed his lips against Blaze's.

_Do I tell her about the feelings Sally was having for me? Nah. I shouldn't. I need to keep that a secret_, Rocket thought to himself as he and Blaze continued their private moment. Today, Rocket had lost his own life on a mission and another life had to be given up for him to return. Today, Rocket learned that A Life has to be given up for a Life.


End file.
